So in my World History and Cultures class, I'm in a unit on Medieval Christianity right now, and yesterday afternoon I found myself reading about monasteries, monks, hermits and the like. This is where I heard about Simeon Stylites, a hermit I'd be willing to say didn't use his time to the best of his ability. This guy, convinced that he was doing right, spent 37 years sitting in seclusion atop a 50-foot stone pillar!
Then, early this morning, reading my devotions, I was in Psalm 78, another "history" of sorts, this one about the history of Israel, their sin and God's faithfulness. In verses 36-39, the psalmist spoke of how Israel once again forgot the Lord, their Most High God and Redeemer, but in verse 39, it says that ...
"He [God] remembered that they were only flesh, a wind that passes and does not return."
We are as fleshly as the Israelites. When the psalmist said that they were "only flesh, a wind that passes and does not return," he was making a reflection of all of mankind. If you think about it, our lives really are but a bit of wind, we sweep through and then our time on earth is done. We don't have long in this sinful world. Every moment, every second should be for a purpose. This Christmas time, let's use our time for the purpose of Christ! That doesn't mean we can't enjoy all the good things that God has given us, spending time with family, eating delicious food, reading edifying books, watching movies, listening to music. But it does mean that:
- We should NOT spend 37 years sitting in seclusion on a 50-foot stone pillar. Time is precious - there is so much to be done. As the old adage goes, "Time is money." Perhaps we could change it to: "Time is more valuable than money." Whether you're sitting for 37 years by yourself on a giant pillar or wasting time in other ways that maybe seem not as a big a deal, let's choose to redeem our time!
- Thus, instead of wasting time, we should live for Christ and His kingdom, seeking to promote His mission and spread His message.
So let's spend this holiday season rejoicing in Christ and using our time wisely!